The Catholic Lawyer

Religious Employers and Statutory Prescription Contraceptive Mandates

By: Susan J. Stabile

An examination of state statutes mandating that employer-provided medical benefits include coverage of contraceptives as applied to “religious employers.” The author maintains that in such situations the religious beliefs of the employer must prevail, and concludes that if legislators “believe that prescription contraception is a basic health need, then they ought to consider a means of providing [such coverage] outside the employment context.